The heARTS FESTIVAL
Our heritage, Our ARTS
27th
JULY
20
25
VENUE
UMODZI PARK, LILONGWE
EVENT
A UNION OF VISUAL & PERFORMANCE ARTS
TIME
8 AM - 5 PM
The event is expected to showcase the best of Malawi’s culture, music, dance, and art, making it a must-attend event for anyone interested in experiencing the country’s vibrant cultural scene.
With its potential to promote cultural understanding, boost tourism, and celebrate Malawi’s heritage, the heARTS Festival is set to become a significant event in the country’s cultural calendar.
We are very thankful to our Sponsors
Our Special Guests
Denim Richards
Hollywood Actor/ Entrepreneur
Victor Kamwendo
Emmy-nominated and Webby Award-winning actor and producer
LAWI
Malume
Nasibo Mutize
Zimbabwean multi-disciplinary Afro jazz musician
Piksy
Chimfana Chodziwika ndi Boumurr
Dzidalire Foundation to host heARTS Festival
Visual Arts bios
JIMMY MALINGA - G’ME FINE ARTIST
Jimmy Malinga, known artistically as G’Me, is a Malawian fine artist based in Lilongwe. His artistic journey began at the age of eleven, with a deep passion for portraits, landscapes, and abstract compositions.
DINGI DAKA - VISUAL ARTIST
Lawrence Dingi Daka is a Malawian visual artist based in Lilongwe who specialises in string art and african jewellery and accessories. He uses different mediums of paint for his string art and board. He has trained a lot of young people and women in craft in Malawi, and also in Lesotho.
He attended local festivals and exhibitions like Lake of Stars and Surajkund Craftsmela in India (2020 and 2024).
He is currently managing the Vaam Shop at Lilongwe Wildlife Center.
HOPIES -TOY MAKER
Hopies is a toy-making business owned by 34 year-old Malawian entrepreneur Rita Oh. Hopies specializes in creating 100% handmade crocheted toys, crafted by underprivileged women, including widows, single mothers, and sole breadwinners. The name “Hopies” is derived from the word “Hope,” symbolizing the hope and opportunity these women gain through their work.
TIMOTHY CHIMOWA - FASHION DESIGNER
The founder of TIM (This. Is. Malawi.) WORK.
Timothy Chimowa is a passionate entrepreneur, fashion designer, and visual artist. Inspired by the rich African heritage, his mission is to promote cultural heritage through his Afrocentric fashion, art, and craft.
GEORGE LAISI - WOOD SCULPTOR
George Laisi is a 50 year old distinguished wood sculptor based in Dedza, Mua Mission. He began his journey in wood sculpture in earnest in 1992. His career reached a significant milestone in 2000 when he secured a project with an Italian Company to produce key holders; the proceeds from this project were split equally between George’s eamings and funding borehole projects across Malawi.
Over the years, George has exhibited his work with the Wildlife Society of Malawi. In 2012, he was honoured with the BWALO LA A LUSO award for the best wood sculptor in Malawi by the Copyright Society of Malawi (COSOMA). In 2019, George furthered his artistic education by attending a fine art workshop at the University of Malawi, Chancellor College.
GIFT MBAMBA - WOOD CARVER
Gift Mbamba comes from Likoma Island, and is now based in Cape maclear, Mangochi district.
He is a wood carver, having learnt this skills from his uncle, Mr James Calros, who in turn learnt from a Portuguese man in Mozambique.
He is currently focusing on geometric wall art, incorporating different designs such as birds, giraffes, elephants, hippos, lions, leopards, Malawi/ Africa maps, and fish just to mention a few.
He has previously exhibited at Art In the Park in Lilongwe several times.
GEOFFREY KAMWENDO - VISUAL ARTIST
Geoffrey Kamwendo is a visual artist whose vibrant paintings burst with life, rhythm, and storytelling. Rooted deeply in African aesthetics, Geoffrey’s art is instantly recognizable by his dynamic use of bold colors and exaggerated forms that celebrate cultural identity and human expression. His works often feature stylized portraits and lively compositions that honor tradition while embracing contemporary vibrancy.
Throughout his career, Geoffrey has exhibited extensively across Malawi, enchanting audiences with his distinctive art-style that brings African aesthetic heritage to the forefront in dazzling new ways. Geoffrey’s mastery in blending traditional influences with modern artistic techniques continues to redefine contemporary African art, making his mark as one of Malawi’s most compelling modern voices in visual storytelling.
JAMES TAMBULA - VISUAL ARTIST
James Tambula is a Contemporary Artist with more than 10 years experience obtained both in Malawi and South Africa. He is a former member of Living Artists Emporium where he trained for 2 years. His notable Exhibitions include a group exhibition called Art Collective – Mall of Africa in RSA, 10 Days of Malawian Art – Latitude 13 and Art in the Park – 4 Seasons among others. Apart from being an Artist he is also a professional Graphic Designer.
LUANDA BAUMA PRIMO - VISUAL ARTIST
My name is LUANDA BAUMA PRIMO, born and raised in the Eastern DR Congo/ Goma. I flew with my family to Malawi in 2016 due to insecurity and violence. Arriving in the Dzaleka refugee camp with my family I was lost. I felt that my life had no meaning, as I had few prospects and life in the camp was difficult. Forced to flee to a country I had never been to, with just my family and no friends or connections to rely on, I felt stuck. Soon after arriving in the camp, I was able to find a new sense of purpose and meaning through my artwork and photography. Taking a photography course with an organization in Dzaleka that offered it, I started to pursue photography not merely as art, but as life as well. I started volunteering with Organizations in the Dzaleka camp and encourage my family to pursue education, as I believe its value cannot be overstated. Seeking to set an example for my family, I pursued photography and now I’m one of the most recognized photographers in the camp. I have enjoyed success, such as having an exhibition in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe. Now, I receive extended invitations to festivals, exhibitions, and more. I place particular emphasis on education and opportunity, particularly for young people and young women in the camp. Oftentimes, if a girl is not in school or is not working, she gets married at a young age or has children as a teenager. I have founded an organization named UMOJA NI NGUVU to help support these young mothers and some youths by training them in life skills such as tailoring, courses in photography & filmmaking, craft making, sewing and more. Young mothers like these often don’t have opportunities and cannot improve their lives. I help to provide these women with what opportunities I can, because I’m, if not in that same position, then in the same frame of mind as these young women. My art has endowed me with numerous opportunities: creating a documentary about life in dzaleka, participating in festivals in the camp, fathering my work as a photographer, and just generally becoming more known in the camp. Now, my art is fathering the Dzelaka Arts project and helping show the world the truth,of art, of hope, and of life in the camp. It’s just a camera, a vison and an immense dream.
MYCK MTIKA - VISUAL ARTIST
Myck Mtika is a Malawian international visual artist who paints with oil, acrylic and water colors. He also sculpts and do various craft. Most of his inspiration comes from theoretical physics. Myck is based in Mzuzu, north Malawi.
Comedy by Ching'aning'ani & Giling'ande
CHARLES LEVISON - VISUAL ARTIST
Charles Levison is an accomplished visual artist, filmmaker, and educator with over 10 years of experience using creativity to empower communities.
He launched Art Cycle Malawi, an innovative recycling and art
education initiative to promote sustainability, job creation and youth development.
Charles is an Art Teacher at Lilongwe Private High School.
GEORGE MKUMBULA - VISUAL ARTIST
George Mkumbula was born in Lilongwe and still lives there. He is a self-taught artist who started creating art a long time ago.
George believes that art is the only way to share something inside him without necessarily communicating verbally with the public.This well known Malawian partial abstract painter has participated in a number of art shows across Malawi.
He exhibited his work:
– at the Goethe institute, Lilongwe (2010)
– in Myths of Malawi at La Caverna, Blantyre, Lilongwe and in Berlin, Germany (2015).
– at the Global book alliance in Lilongwe and Blantyre (2022).
TEE MLINGA - VISUAL ARTIST AND ENTREPRENEUR
Tee Mlinga is a 28-year-old award-winning visual artist and entrepreneur from Zomba, Malawi. She began her art journey in 2021, turning to painting as a source of healing. Tee is self-taught, with mentorship from artists like Andrew Missi, Tim Davis, and Charles Jean Pierre. She works primarily with oil, fabric, and acrylics.
Her skills were further sharpened through training at Chancellor College and GOETHE Institute in South Africa. In 2023, she won the Best Visual Artist award at the Maso Awards,(MW,),and best emerging artist African no Filter in (Kenya,,) Her work has been featured by Africa No Filter and Voice of America.
Tee has exhibited at Mwezi Wawala, Zomba City Festival, Art in the Park, kabula festival Kamuzu international Airport and Kaliso gallery.
ELLIS SINGANO - CONTEMPORARY MALAWI ARTIST
Born in 1980, Ellis Singano is a self-taught contemporary Malawian artist who lives and works in Blantyre. Raised in a family of six and as a twin, Singano began exploring art at the age of thirteen as an escape and solace from a busy household. Inspired by the scenes of everyday life in Blantyre and by his own father’s artwork, Singano developed a natural penchant for using color and textiles to celebrate the world around him. Singano knew from early on that making meaningful art was a path he wanted pursue although his father, who’d made a name for himself in the Malawian art scene, discouraged him because he believed it was a difficult profession. Unfortunately, within the year that Ellis first took up art, his beloved father died and grieving this loss made him retreat further into his practice.
Over the years, Singano has developed his own style and has become one of Malawi’s most revered artists exhibiting his work both globally and locally. Singano is best known for using the laborious and very technical skill of batik to make his one-of-a-kind pieces.
Batik is a process of hand-dyeing fabrics with
wax to form designs then dissolving that wax in boiling water ultimately creating a pattern.
Using this elaborate technique, Singano explores the human condition in Malawi unpacking themes of community, love, nature and joy through an array of beautiful colors and figures inmotion. Ellis Singano’s work is expressive, colorful, inviting and captures the spirit of Malawi by conveying the warmth of the country and its people.
‘Get mesmerized!’
